Abstract
Much of the research on unmanned-vehicles (UVs) focuses on technology or interface design. This study investigated how to best support effective communication between the UV operator and the Soldier in the field using UV-provided information to complete a mission. In a previous study investigating the impact of different team configurations and the utility of supporting communication technologies, our team found co-location of team members to be beneficial (McDermott et al., 2005). In this experiment we investigate what aspects of co-location are key to successful team performance: Is face-to-face communication vital compared to voice-only when team members are distributed? Is the ability of the UV operator to see what the Soldier performing the mission can see critical? We also seek additional insight to inconclusive results from the first study regarding the utility of image transmission and access to an electronic map displaying both the UV and Soldier locations.
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